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The SVP will have a new president in March. This week the party announced another important move: Henrique Schneider will be the new general secretary.
Henrique Schneider, there was something there? Exactly: he should actually have become director of the influential Swiss trade association last summer – the board had already elected him. But then the association pulled the emergency brake at the last second. The “NZZ am Sonntag” brought to light that Schneider was said to have plagiarized in his academic career.
The trade association commissioned an investigation that confirmed many of the allegations – and then dropped Schneider. Now Schneider is suddenly back – as general secretary of the largest party in Switzerland.
We are looking for the best possible general secretary for the SVP. We are convinced that we have found this person in Henrique Schneider.
Mr. Schneider’s backstory? No problem for the SVP: “He has clearly spoken out against an EU connection and has clearly positioned himself against the electricity guzzler law,” says SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi. “With these positions, he was a little too close to the SVP for numerous members of the trade association.”
Legend:
Even though the SVP has already introduced Henrique Schneider as general secretary, he has not yet been officially elected. This should be carried out by the party executive committee on January 26th. However, it is unlikely that Schneider will be dropped by then this time.
SRF
In fact, many observers interpreted the dispute over Schneider as a battle for direction. In terms of how much influence the SVP should have in the trade association in the future. Has the SVP now taken pity on Schneider and offered Schneider a job offer as general secretary?
“Quite the opposite,” says Aeschi. “We are looking for the best possible general secretary for the SVP. We are convinced that we have found this person in Henrique Schneider.” He is well qualified and his positioning is in line with the party. Aeschi is convinced that Schneider will fulfill the duties of general secretary “to the best satisfaction” of the party.
Politics is not a science
And the accusations of plagiarizing? The SVP is not looking for a university professor, says Aeschi, but for a political head – and different rules apply in politics than in science. “We politicians plagiarize ourselves very often: we repeat the same arguments over and over again on certain political issues.”
Legend:
There will soon be a new face at the party leadership: Marcel Dettling will most likely take over the office of SVP President – he is a National Councilor and mountain farmer from the canton of Schwyz.
Keystone/Gian Ehrenzeller
Schneider himself did not respond to inquiries from SRF News. But Nicolo Paganini. He is a National Councilor of the Center and a member of the Chamber of Commerce of the Swiss Trade Association. Last summer, Paganini spoke out against Schneider as the new commercial director – because of the allegations made against him.
Regarding the fact that Schneider will now become general secretary of the SVP, Paganini says: “The general secretary is not the party president and therefore the face of the party.” In the case of the trade association, Schneider would definitely have done this, according to the middle man. “The SVP will have thought carefully about whether they should do that or not.”
A meticulous worker
Paganini emphasizes that he experienced Schneider at the trade association as a meticulous worker: “When you receive a dossier from him or read a statement from him, it has everything to do with it and is well thought out.” Of course, these writings also reflected Schneider’s worldview. “But they involve a lot of work.”
Legend:
Peter Keller (left) with SVP President Marco Chiesa last summer.
Keystone/Urs Flüeler
The previous SVP general secretary will remain with the party: Peter Keller will become Schneider’s deputy in the future. For him, this is not a demotion, says Keller: “The General Secretariat was also reorganized at my request.” In the future he would like to focus more on content-related rather than organizational issues.
And what influence could Schneider have on the course of the SVP? When it comes to the issues of migration and Europe, other heads in the SVP have the authority to interpret, says Paganini. But: “In economic policy, Mr. Schneider has often taken a strictly ordoliberal course. It could be that he will try to have an influence here and there will be certain corrections in the direction.